Hat-forming machine.



1. S. BUCKMAN.

HAT FORIVHNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. n. 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patent-ed Apr. 24, 1917.

a wmw J.S.BUCK1V1AN.

HAT FORNHNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION man om. 11, 191e.

1,223,666.. Patented Apr. 24,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

E1111111111111 6 y 111111 1111111I 11111111 fili-ir." 1 3g f2 a Il Am1111111.1111111111111111 rf JW' y l l' .A V1 :Y

/Q Lamu/mao S A QFQE.

TOI-IN S. BUCKIVIAN, OF ELMI-IURST, NEW YORK,'ASSIGNOR TO BERG-BROTI-IERS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A COPARTNERSHIP COMPOSED OF HENRY BERG-AND JULIUS BERG.

HAT-FORMING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 24, 1917-.

To all whom z't'may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. BUCKMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Elmhurst, county of Queens, Long Island, State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hat-FormingMachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hat-forming machines, and'more particularly tomachines used for pressing and permanently setting cloth and buckramcrowns, brims and tips used in making up hats.

In operating hat-forming machines of the construction now largely usedin the trade, two operatives are required to place the ma terial betweenthe Lipper and lower dies and to properly stretch and hold it so thatthe dies will smoothly shape the material.

The main object of this invention is to provide a hat-forming machinewith means for holding one side of the material in proper relation tothe pressing dies, in order that the material may be lproperly placedand stretched smoothly over the lower die by a single operative.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hat-pressing andforming machine in which the material to be pressed may be properlystretched and held, and the press operated by a. single operative.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an attachment forholding the material at one side of the press, which is capable ofadjustment to adapt it for use in connection with forming dies ofvarious sizes and shapes.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an attachmentfor the purpose set forth, which may be applied to the standard forms ofhat pressing machines without altering or mutilating existing ma`chines, and which maybe readily attached and removed. i

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a well-known form ofhat pressing machine equipped with the material holding attachment, thedies and gripping jaws being shown in their normal open position;

Fig. 2 a side elevation partly in section,

showing the relative positions of the parts during the pressingoperation;

Fig. 3 a rear elevation with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 a detail front elevation of the material holding attachment, theparts being shown in the position assumed just before the dies cometogether; and

FiO. 5 a top plan View of the attachment.

Re erring to the various parts by numerals, l designates the frame ofthe machine which, of course, may be of any suitable construction. Atable or bed plate 2 is rigidly mounted in the frame, and a blocking die'3 is rigidly supported upon a suitable pedestal at the center of thetable. The blocking die is provided with an annular shoulder 4, theshaping part 5 of the die extending upwardly from said shoulder, asclearly shown in Figs. l and 2. This shaping portion of the die may beof any desired contour.

The upper die or presser ring 6 depends from, and is rigidly connectedwith a vertically reciprocable cross-head or spider 7, directly abovethe blocking die 3. The cross-head 7 is carried by two verticallyreciprocable rods 8, said rods being connected at their lower ends to across-head 9 mounted in the frame of the machine, below the table 2.Connected to the lower crosshead 9 is a treadle mechanism l0, operatedby the treadle 1l to bring the presser ring down upon the blocking die3, suitable springs connecting said treadle mechanism with the frame forreturning the parts to their normal position and lifting the presserring above the blocking die. A. latch 13 ad" justably mounted'on a rod14 connected to the frame of the machine is provided, for the purpose oflocking the treadle in its lowermost position during the pressingoperation. All the parts heretofore described are of well-knownconstruction.

EXtending transversely of the machine at a point back of the blockingdie 3, is a rectangular frame comprising a bottom plate l5, side plates16 and a top cross bar 17 rigidly connected together. This frame may bemade in the form of an integral casting mally yieldably held at thelimit if desired, and it is detachably and adjustably mounted on thetable 2. I prefer to connect the frame to the table by means of U-clamps18, one end of the clamps being passed through openings 19 in the sideplates 16 of the frame. This enables the frame to be readily attached tostandard forms of pressing machines without the necessity of altering ormutilating the machines, and also provides a simple means for quicklyadjusting the frame on the plate 2 to properly position it with respectto dies of various shapes and sizes.

A yieldable cloth-gripping jaw or plate 20 is slidably mounted in theframe, the jaw being vertically reciprocable and guided by a pair ofvertical rods 21 secured at each side of the frame. r1`he jaw 20 isnormally held at the top of the guide frame by light coiled springs 22surrounding the guide rods, stops 23 being provided at the top of theframe to limit the upward movement of the jaw. A stop rod 24 extendsacross the frame,y with its ends passing through apertures in the sideplates 16, and this stop rod is adapted toy limit the downward movementof the jaw 20 for a purpose hereafter' described. A series of aperturesis preferably provided in each side plate in order that the position ofthe stop rod in the frame may be varied as conditions may require.

Mounted upon the top of the rearwardly extending arm 7a of thecross-head 7 is a plate or cross bar 25, extending transversely of themachine above the guide frame in which the jaw 2O is mounted. This crossbar 25 is adjustable back and forth along the arm 7?, and is alsocapable of lateral adjustment, being connected to the arm 7ZL by a bolt26 passing thro-ugh a slot 27 in the cross bar 25 and through the usualslot 28 extending longitudinally of the arm 7a. Means is thus providedfor adjusting the bar 25 to correspond with the adjusted position of theguide frame.

Suspended from the bar 25 by a pair of guide rods 29 at a point .abovethe cloth grippingjaw 20,isa second cloth gripping j aw 30. The guiderods 29 pass freely through apertures in the bar 25, and have cotterpins passedthrough apertures in their upper ends, to limit the downwardmovement of the jaw 30 with respect to the cross bar 25. A series ofapertures is preferably provided at the upper end of each rod in orderthat the positions of the Cotter pins may be varied to adjust the jaw 30vertically with relation to the dies. Obviously, any suitable meansother than cotter pins may be employed for restraining the downwardmovement of the guide rods. The upper jaw 30 is norof its downwardmovement, at a point directly above the jaw 20, as clearly shown in Fig.1, by means of heavy coiled springs 31 surrounding the guide rods 29. Apair of depending guide rods 32 are rigidly connected to the upper jaw30 and extend downwardly through guide openings in the lower j aw 20.These rods 32 are of suf- .n

ficient length to extend through the jaw 20 when the jaws are theirnormal open position, and serve to maintain the jaws in their properrelative positions, one directly above the other.

n the operation of the device, after the dies have been properly heated,the material to be shaped is passed between the dies from the front ofthe machine, and its rear edge laid upon the upper face of the jaw 20.The operati-ve then grasps one corner of the front edge of the goods ineither hand and presses down upon the treadle 11 with his foot. Thiscauses the upper cross-head 7 to move downwardly, carrying with it thepresser ring 6 and upper jaw 30, until the jaws 20 and 30 come togetherand grip the cloth along its rear edge. A further downward movement ofthe treadle causes the cross-head to further lower the presser ring 6,and since the springs 31 are heavier than the springs 22 the upper jawalso continues to move downwardly and forces the lower jaw downwardly,as shown in Fig. 4. 1n the position of the jaws shown in Fig. 1l thecloth is substantially on a line with the top of the blocking die 3, andin position to be smoothly and tightly stretched over the die 3 by theoperative pulling on the corners of the front edge of the goods. Furtherdepression of the treadle brings the clamped jaws against the stop rod24, and further downward movement of the aws is prevented. Furtherdownward move-y ment of the cross-head 7 and presser ring (5 in responseto depression of the treadle is permitted, however, the cross-head com-vpressing the springs 31 and moving downward until the parts assume Atheposition shown in Figs. 2 and 3, with the dies in pressing position. WVhen the treadle is released the usual treadle springs and springs 22 and31 return the parts to the position shown in Fig. 1.

An important feature of the invention is the provision of means at theback of the press for gripping the rear edge of the goods, the grippingmeans being adapted to carry the rear edge of the cloth down past theplane of the crowned portion of the stationary blocking vdie in advanceof the movable presser ring. This enables a single operative standing atthe front of the machine to smoothly stretch the material by graspingthe corners of the front edge of the fabric in each hand and pullingthereon as the fabric is carried down over the stationary blocking diein advance of the presser ring, when the foot-operated lll@ treadle isdepressed by the operative. The advantages of hand smoothing andstretching of the goods are thus secured, while but a single operativeis required to operate the machine and stretch the material over theblocking die.

Another important feature of the invention is the provision of a clothgripping attachment capable of adjustment to adapt it for use inconnection with different forms and sizes of dies. It will also beobserved that. the device may be readily attached to the standard typesof hat-forming machines without altering` or mutilating the machines.

I/Vhat I claim is:

l. lIn a hat-forming machine, the combination of an upper die, a lowerdie, means for moving the upper die into operative engagement with thelower die, and means for gripping one edge of the material to be shapedand carrying it downwardly past the shaping portion of the lower die atone side thereof in advance of the engagement of the dies.

2. In a hat-forming machine, the combination of a stationary die, amovable die, means for bringing the movable die into operativeengagement with the stationary die, and a pair of gripping jaws actuatedby said die moving means to grip one edge of the material to be shapedand carry the edge of the material past the forming portion of thestationary die in advance of the engagement of the dies.

8. In a hatforming machine, the combination of a stationary die, amovable die, means for bringing the movable die into operativeengagement with the stationary die, and a pair of gripping jaws actuatedby said die-moving means to grip the material to be shaped in advance ofthe engagement of the dies and carry the material into pressing positionover the stationary die.

l. In a hat-forming machine, the combination of a frame, a tablesupported therein, a stationary die mounted on the table, a movable diesupported above the stationary die, means for moving the dies intooperative engagement, a gripping jaw yieldably supported on the tableabove the plane of the shaping portion of the stationary die, and agripping jaw carried by the movable die support and adapted to contactwith said yieldable jaw to clamp the material to be shaped in advance ofthe engagement of the dies and force said yieldable jaw below the planeof the shaping portion of the stationary die with the jaws in clampedrelation.

5. In a hat-forming machine, the combination of a frame, a tablesupported therein, a stationary die mounted on the table, a movable diesupported above the stationary die, means for bringing the dies intooperative engagement, a gripping jaw normally die-moving means supportedon the table above the plane of the shaping portion of the stationarydie, a gripping jaw carried by said die-moving means and adapted toengage the jaw on the table to clamp one edge of the cloth to be shapedand carry it downward past the shaping portion of the stationary diewhen the dies are brought into engagement.

6. In a hat-forming machine, the combination of a frame, a tablesupported therein, a stationary die mounted on said table, a movable diesupported above the stationary die, means for bringing the dies intooperative engagement, a jaw yieldably supported on the table above theplane of the stationary die, a yieldable gripping jaw carried by saiddie-moving means and adapted to engage the jaw on the table to grip thematerial to be shaped in advance of the engagement of the dies, saidjaws being adapted to be moved downwardly in clamped relation below theplane cf the shaping portion of the stationary die in advance of theengagement of the dies.

7. In a hat-forming machine,.the combination of a frame, a tablesupported therein, a stationary die mounted on said table, a movable diesupported above the stationary' die, means for bringing the dies intooperative engagement, means actuated by said die-moving means to gripone edge of the material to be shaped and carry it downwardly past theshaping portion of the stationary die in advance of the engagement ofthe dies, and means for adjusting the gripping devices with relation tothe dies.

8. In a hat-forming machine, the combination of a frame, a tablesupported therein, a stationary die supported on said table, avertically reciprocable cross-head supported above said table, a presserring depending from said cross-head at a point above the stationary die,a cross-bar connected to said cross-head, an upwardly yieldable jawdepending from said cross-bar to a point below the plane of the movabledie, a downwardly yieldable jaw mounted on the table below the upperjaw, said lower jaw being normally held at a point above the plane ofthe stationary die, and means for depressing the cross-head and causingsaid jaws to grip the edge of the material to be shaped and carry itbelow the plane of the shaping portion of the stationary die in advanceof the engagement of the dies.

9. In a hat-forming machine, the combination of a frame, a tablesupported therein, a stationary die mounted on said table, a movable diesupported above the stationary die, means for bringing the dies intooperative engagement, means actuated by said to grip one edge of thematerial to be shaped and carry it downwardly past the shaping portionof the stationary'die in advance of the engagement of the dies, andmeans for vertically adjusting the gripping devices with relation toAthe dies.

10. In a hat-forming machine, the combination of a frame, a tablesupported therein, a stationary die mounted on said table, a movable diesupported above the stationary die, means for bringing the dies intooperative engagement, means actuated by said die-moving means to gripone edgeof the material to be shaped and carry it into operativerelation with the stationary die in advance of the engagement of thedies, and means for laterally adjusting the gripping devices withrelation to the dies.

11. In a hat-forming machine, the combination of a stationary die, amovable die supported above the stationary die, a clamping jaw mountedon the table at the rear of the stationary die, yieldable means fornormallysupporting said jaw above the plane of the shaping portion ofthe stationary die, means for moving the dies into operative engagement,and a clamping jaw carried by said die-moving means adapted to engagesaid yieldable jaw to clamp one edge of the material and move said jawdownwardly to carry the clamped edge of the ma terial past the shapingportion of the stationary die in advance of the engagement of the dies.

12. In a hatdorming machine, the combination of a stationary die, amovable die, a pair of gripping jaws supported adjacent one side of thestationary die, means for moving'the movable die into operativeengagement with the stationary die, and means whereby said gripping jawsare actuated to clamp the material to be shaped and carry the edgethereof past the plane of the shaping portion of the stationary die inadvance of the engagement of the dies when said movable die is movedtoward the stationary die.

13. In a hat-forming machine, a blocking die, a presser ring, means formoving said die and presser ring into operative engagement, a pair ofgripping jaws normally supported in spaced relation adjacent one side ofsaid die and presser ring, means actuated by an initial operation ofsaid moving means whereby said jaws are moved into Copies of thispatentmay be obtained for clamping relation, and means whereby said jaws aremoved in clamped relation past the plane of the shaping portion of theblocking die in advance of the engagement of the die and presser ringupon a further operation of said moving means.

14E. In a hat-forming machine, a blocking die, a presser ring, means formoving said die and presser ring into operativeengagement, a pair ofgripping jaws normally supported in spaced relation adjacent one side ofsaid die and presser ring, means actuated by an initial operation ofsaid moving means whereby said jaws are moved into clamping relation,means whereby said jaws are moved in clamped relation past the plane ofthe shaping portion of the blocking die in advance of the engagement ofthe die and presser ring upon a'further operation o said moving means,means for arresting the movement of the jaws at a point beyond the planeof the shaping portion of the die, and means whereby said moving meansis adapted to move the die and presser ring into operative engagementater the movement of the jaws has been arrested.

15. In a hat-formingmachine, the combination of a frame, a tablesupported in the frame, a stationary die mounted on the table, a movabledie supported above the stationary die, means Jfor moving the dies intooperative engagement, a gripping jaw supported, on the table at one sideof the stationary die, yieldable means for normally holding said jawabove the plane of the shaping portion of the stationary die, a secondgripping j aw carried by the movable die support and adapted to engagesaid yieldable jaw and move downwardly in clamped relation therewithpast one side of the shaping portion of the stationary die in advance ofthe engagement of the dies, means for arresting the'movement of thejaws, and means whereby the ldie-moving means is adapted to moverelatively .to the jaw carried thereby to carry the movable j die intoengagement with the stationary die after the movement of the jaws isarrested. In testimony whereof I hereunto aiiiX my signature.

JOI-IN S. BUCKMAN.

Washington, D. C.

